Michael D. Rose
Former Chairman & CEO of Promus Companies Inc.
Mike Rose is a seasoned leader in the hospitality industry who has brought his expertise
to hotels, entertainment venues, restaurants and much more.
Rose began his career as an attorney working with one of the largest franchisees of
Holiday Inns. He later joined Holiday Inns, Inc. in Memphis, where he bought, sold,
built and franchised hotels on a global basis. He became president in 1979, CEO in
1981 and chairman in 1984. Holiday Inns, Inc. was renamed Holiday Corporation in 1985
to reflect the growth of the company鈥檚 brands, including Harrah鈥檚, Embassy Suites,
Crowne Plaza, Homewood Suites and Hampton Inns.
After the Holiday Inn brand was sold in 1990, Holiday Corporation changed its name
to Promus Companies Inc., with Rose as chairman and CEO. In 1995, Harrah鈥檚 Entertainment
Inc. and Promus Hotel Corporation were split into two companies, and Rose was chairman
of both. He retired from Harrah鈥檚 in 1996 and retired as chairman of Promus in 1997.
Rose has continued to serve on the boards of several hospitality, foodservice and
other companies, including Darden Restaurants, Gaylord Entertainment, First Tennessee
National Corp., General Mills Inc. and First Horizon National Corporation. Director鈥檚
Alert, a publication that covers corporate boardroom news, named Rose one of 鈥淐orporate
America鈥檚 10 outstanding directors for 2000鈥� primarily because of his 15 years of
service on General Mills鈥� board.
Rose has served on the board of Gaylord Entertainment since April 2001, when he first
joined the company as a corporate director. Gaylord Entertainment Company is a hospitality
company that includes the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville,
the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center near Orlando, Florida, and the Gaylord
Texan Resort and Convention Center near Dallas.
Since 1998, Rose also has been a private investor and Chairman of Midaro Investments,
a privately held investment firm.
Rose earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business from the University of Cincinnati and
a law degree from Harvard Law School. He is active in community affairs, including
serving on the Board of Visitors at the University of Memphis, the Athletic Board
at Stanford University, the board of trustees for the Memphis University School and
the board of trustees for St. Mary鈥檚 Episcopal School. His philanthropy includes major
gifts to the University of Memphis and University of Nevada, Las Vegas.